13 minute read
Ecumenical News
Right Rev. Hamish Galloway, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand (PCANZ) has called for Lenten prayers for Ukraine, joining other NZ church leaders in a statement of solidarity calling for the aggression to end and the peaceful solutions to begin.
“In a region that learnt the devastating lessons of war last century, the pattern has the tragic possibility of repeating. It flies in the face of much of the progress in peaceful coexistence that Europe has made in recent decades,” they said in the joint press statement, adding that the invasion of Ukraine also runs counter to the Jesus values of peace-making, which call for de-escalation, peace talks, humility and kindness.
In closing, the PCANZ Moderator added a call to prayer for the Church, in support of the global call to prayer from Pope Francis for Christians worldwide to devote themselves to prayer and fasting for peace in this season.
PCANZ Moderator’s Easter Message: Passionately Hopeful
With recent struggles of COVID weariness, a widening income inequality due to house prices spiralling out of control, and dismay at the brutal invasion of Ukraine, the PCANZ Moderator Right Rev. Hamish Galloway has encouraged all to see “signs of lights shining through the cracks of despair” in his Easter Message.
After the Christchurch earthquakes, people looked for signs of meaning and hope, which sprung up in street art on the sides of buildings, and more people came to church on Sunday, recounted the PCANZ Moderator.
Rt Rev. Galloway now points to the easing of COVID restrictions and peace talks in Ukraine as signs of hope, and asked Christians to “add a faithful voice drawing attention to the first cracks of dawning light at sunrise on the third day, which transformed the despair of the cross to something filled with hope.” “This faith of ours - that the resurrection transforms the seeming despair of the cross into a world-changing victory of life over death, forgiveness over sin and good over evil - remains as powerful and relevant as ever!” he proclaimed.
EUROPE Churches across Britain and Ireland unite in prayer for Ukraine
Christian leaders gathered in prayer outside Ukraine embassy in London
Hundreds of congregations from churches of various denominations across Britain and Ireland gathered in an act of witness to pray for the people of Ukraine and an end to the conflict in Ukraine on 3 April.
Church (URC) were among churches that had encouraged their congregations to pray and hold a visible act of witness – including the lighting of candles – in their communities.
In London, the Union of
Welsh Independents (UWI)
General Secretary Rev. Dyfrig Rees and many other Christian leaders gathered outside the Embassy of Ukraine to pray for peace. In addition, Christian Aid, an international humanitarian charity, organised projections across Westminster Abbey, Methodist Central Hall, St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Glasgow Cathedral, and Bangor Cathedral to show the solidarity of churches and Christians with the people of Ukraine.
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN) organised a time of prayer for Ukraine in the Domkerk in Utrecht on Ash Wednesday (2 March). This prayer for peace and justice in Ukraine was broadcast live by KRO-NCRV, a Dutch public broadcasting company, and led by Rev. René de Reuver, General Secretary of PKN, and Msgr. Gerard de Korte, Bishop of 's-Hertogenbosch.
The event offered a place for believers and non-unbelievers alike to reflect, lay down their fears and worries, light a candle and write down a prayer. “We look at the images from Ukraine with dismay. We cannot help but bring this to God: ‘Lord, we cry out to You for help. Have mercy on the people of Ukraine, see to all who are affected by the terrible violence of war,” said the PKN General Secretary, who also urged local Protestant congregations to pray for Ukraine on Sunday.
Congregational Federation (CF) and United Reformed Church (URC) among members discussing “Reconciling Hope: A broken church for a broken world”
Congregational Federation (CF) General Secretary Rev. Yvonne Campbell, United Reformed Church (URC) General Secretary Rev. Dr John Bradbury and URC Moderator Rev. Clare Downing were among delegates at the Churches Together in England (CTE) Forum from 14–16 March.
During the event at The Hayes in Swanwick, two joint statements were issued, calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities and for churches to campaign for an end to the Ukraine conflict and appealing to the UK government to support the churches offering sanctuary to Ukrainian refugees. In addition, delegates discussed the theme “Reconciling Hope: A broken church for a broken world” through the lenses of racial justice and the climate emergency.
CTE President, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, spoke on reconciliation in a post-COVID world. He urged the church to embrace its diversity, to disagree in an agreeable manner, and “respond to the crises that surround us, with the love of God that is within us, and with the unity that can be reached between us.”
A coordinated aid response for Ukraine by Maidenhead URC
Maidenhead URC Group Photo. Image by URC
A group comprising volunteers and Maidenhead URC members played a central role in fundraising collecting, coordinating and dispatching emergency supplies to Ukraine. With links to families in Ukraine and towns on the border with Poland, first-hand knowledge of what was needed fuelled donations. As a result, close to 600 boxes packed with medical supplies, medicines, first aid kits, food, sleeping bags, blankets, toiletries and nappies were driven in a lorry to Ukraine on 10 March.
CWM organises the first meeting of General Secretaries of three mission organisations
The General Secretaries of Community of Churches in Mission (CEVAA), Council for World Mission (CWM), and United Evangelical Mission (UEM) conducted a successful meeting from 8-9 March 2022 in Singapore. Organised by CWM, this was the first meeting of Rev. Célestin Kiki (CEVAA), Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum (CWM) and Rev. Volker Martin Dally (UEM) since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The two days were a time of biblical reflection, open discussion, fellowship and mutual encouragement as they shared news and information, and strategised over possible joint mission activities. Among the matters in common they conversed on was their shared, grave concern about the Ukraine invasion, which is one of the largest wars in Europe in 80 years, and this gathering was an opportune time for them to join in prayer for peace.
UEM, CEVAA, and CWM share similar roots and purpose as a partnership of Protestant faith communities around the world. Over the years, these three mission organisations have actively pursued paradigm shifts to become modern, international mission organisations committed to equal rights of membership, a round table model of decision-making processes, and equality in resource-sharing regardless of geographical location and numerical strength.
Rev. Dally addressed CWM staff during their weekly virtual devotions on the topic “Called into Discipleship for leaving trodden paths”, where he spoke about the paradigm shift needed to take a risk and leave well-established paths of doing mission.
Following two sessions of discussions on 8 March, their programme included a video interview where they spoke about the changing role of missional organisations and approach to mission in the past few years; the role of women in member churches; and their thoughts on vaccine injustices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxLchTZLbL8
Responding to the question on how the approach to mission had changed in the past three years of pandemic, Rev. Kiki highlighted the solidarity among member churches in Europe, especially France where they developed churches in homes, or “home churches” to continue with worship. In the African context, churches grew to adapt to or adopt new technology, making radio and broadcast of church services and information more prevalent. Besides familiarising themselves with YouTube, pastors were more connected to their church members as they made more frequent home visits.
Echoing some of Rev. Kiki’s points, Rev. Dally emphasized that the pandemic had accelerated the transition of German churches to using another messaging platform, WhatsApp in their relationships with member churches in Asia and Africa. Their pre-pandemic complaints of unanswered emails dwindled, as they adopted the use of social media to communicate with their brothers and sisters in Asia and Africa.
However, many of those engaged in mission work, especially in Germany, lapsed into old habits on giving, while some in Asia and Africa returned to the archaic role of being recipients. For example, during their donation drive for the most vulnerable, some churches in Germany wanted to make repeated distributions to churches in Asia and Africa who had not requested for aid. Debunking the stereotype that “all Asians and Africans are poor”, he raised the example of a flood in Germany, where around 50,000 Euros in offerings immediately emerged from the communion of churches in Asia and Africa to help the flood victims.
As this video interview coincided with International Women’s Day, Rev. Kiki shared that the role of women has already been integrated into both CEVAA and member churches, while Rev. Dally elaborated on practical steps taken towards equipping women for ministry and leadership in member churches, gradually shifting in the direction of gender equality.
Rev. Kiki (above, extreme right) stressed that women leadership is already a reality, in Maohi Protestant Church, New Caledonia, and some churches in Africa, while a former CEVAA President and his immediate successor are both women. He also called attention to a CEVAA prayer event organised the week before in honour of International Women’s Day.
Working within the confines of its influence on member churches, which are mostly independent churches, the UEM General Secretary (above, centre) spoke about their scholarships as a viable way to encourage gender balance, as it is stipulated that churches have to endorse a woman for a scholarship before they can endorse a man for the next scholarship. With this alternating arrangement, they have almost reached a balance – out of 80 scholarships, 38 were for women.
Prior to this video interview, the General Secretaries had articulated how the prolonged pandemic has brought about immense suffering and extensive damage worldwide, and they concluded the interview by voicing their thoughts on vaccine injustices. The UEM General Secretary had called for a just distribution as well as the lifting of patent regulations on the vaccines so that other countries can produce these vaccines locally, while the CEVAA General Secretary acknowledged the fear of vaccination that many people in Africa have, and spoke about CEVAA’s financial assistance to subsidise vaccines in church hospitals in Lesotho, Zambia, Rwanda, Cameroon, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.
During the second day of meetings, the General Secretaries visited the CWM General Secretariat office, and a presentation on “Mission in the Context of Covid-19 Pandemic” was delivered. Overall, the entire meeting went smoothly as planned, and it was well-received by CWM’s distinguished guests.
Finally, Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum, the CWM General Secretary concluded the fruitful event with a closing devotion.
The Racial Justice Advocacy Forum calls for coverage, prayer and action for Black and Brown peoples facing racial discrimination amidst the invasion of Ukraine
Emmanuel Nwulu, right, a Nigerian studying in Kharkiv, Ukraine, with other fellow students who crossed the Ukrainian border into Zahony, Hungary, on Feb. 27. Africans who had been living in Ukraine say they were stuck for days at crossings into neighboring European Union countries, held up by Ukrainian authorities who pushed them to the ends of long lines and even beat them, while letting Ukrainians through.LAETITIA VANCON/NYT
UK— March 2022 — The Racial Justice Advocacy Forum condemns the invasion of Ukraine. The RJAF is deeply saddened by the loss of life, the destruction of homes and businesses, and the separation of families which has resulted from Putin's war on Ukraine. The RJAF equally condemns the racism demonstrated by Ukrainian authorities towards Black and Brown people at the borders and routes of escape from the conflict zones.
We believe that all people are made in the image of God and should be equally afforded the dignity, support, opportunity, and protection currently being withheld from many Black and Brown people fleeing for safety. These actions demonstrate the ongoing racist attitudes in Europe which deprive those considered 'other' of basic human needs. The fact that we are seeing demonstrations of racism unfolding amidst this tragic and unlawful invasion is profoundly disheartening and disturbing.
Call to prayer and action
Black and Brown people, and people of Muslim faith affiliation, are facing racism and prejudice as they seek to escape the conflict in Ukraine. We ask Christians to remember all those who are being treated less than equally and fairly in the evacuation process. We must pray and act.
'It is important for Christians to pray. But for those Black and Brown people experiencing double jeopardy - war and racism - practical support needs to be offered. The fact that vast numbers of Black and Brown people are being prevented from leaving Ukraine is indicative of how deeply racism can lurk.' (Rev. Wale Hudson-Roberts, Justice Enabler – Baptist Union of Great Britain/RJAF)
We call upon media outlets to accurately report the racism faced by Black and Brown people, and to raise awareness of the unjustifiable acts of discrimination taking place in the midst of a war zone in which every day is a matter of life and death for all those caught up in the conflict.
We call upon media outlets to accurately report the racism faced by Black and Brown people, and to raise awareness of the unjustifiable acts of discrimination taking place in the midst of a war zone in which every day is a matter of life and death for all those caught up in the conflict.
The RJAF encourages people to write to their MPs and the High Commissions in London demanding clarification of their strategy for intervention and protection of their nationals, and to provide regular updates as events unfold.
"I think this crisis speaks to the specificity of those racialised as Black or ‘other’. It highlights the need to examine whom we extend our love and compassion towards, and to whom we deny it. It calls on faith organisations to take the lead in expanding concepts of love and justice to encompass all, and to attend to the glaring omissions that governments and civil society practice when considering whose story is told." (Edwina Peart, Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator – Quakers in Britain/RJAF)
Nigerian students in Ukraine wait at the platform at the Lviv railway station on Sunday. Bernat ArmangueAP
The RJAF will hold fortnightly online briefings to share updates on the coordinated efforts to advocate for and support Black and Brown people facing racial discrimination in Ukraine. Christian Aid will support these briefings.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Richard Reddie Director of Justice and Inclusion Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Email: Richard.Reddie@ctbi.org.uk
Revd. Wale Hudson-Roberts Justice Enabler Baptist Union of Great Britain Email: whudson-roberts@baptist.org.uk
The Racial Justice Advocacy Forum is an ecumenical Christian entity that seeks to speak prophetically on behalf of Black and Brown Christians to the government on racial injustice challenges and reparations. The forum comprises representatives from various Christian institutions such as the Ascension Trust, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the Evangelical Alliance, the Methodist Church, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Salvation Army, the Sam Sharpe Project, and the United Reformed Church.
